Breaking his silence Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday disapproved of Shiv Sena's protests against the launch of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book in Mumbai.
"We may not agree with views of somebody but when a foreign dignitary or a diplomat arrives on a valid visa and holds a programme which is not illegal, (then) it's the duty of a state to provide protection. We cannot endorse Mr. Kasuri but can't let our state turn into banana republic. The rule of law has prevailed. I think the way things have happened has brought bad name to our state. There could have been better ways to put forth a point of view," the Chief Minister said in a statement on late Monday night.
His reaction came hours after the Shiv Sena, which is in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, smeared black paint on the face of former BJP leader Sudheendra Kulkarni, who is at present the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) chief.
Justifying its protests against Kasuri, the defiant Shiv Sena also refused to withdraw its protest against Pakistan. While addressing a press conference Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, "We haven't stopped protesting against Pakistan. A message is going around that we have withdrawn our protest, this is a blatant lie. We hold our stand. We expect the CM to take strict action against Kasuri."
Despite Shiv Sena's protests and blackening of the face of Sudheendra Kulkarni by some of its supporters, the organisers went ahead with the launch of Kasuri's book 'Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Policy' at a function.
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